DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — Durham County leaders approved a change in the county’s smoking ban during a Monday night meeting.

The revision to the ban will allow more non-smoking signs to go up throughout the county, and ban e-cigarettes in every public place, including sidewalks and bus stops, in the county.

A previous ban that was put in place in 2012 prohibited people from smoking cigarettes on public property.

“I don’t think the intent is to be punitive,” said Durham County commissioner Chair Wendy Jacobs. “We don’t want to go around giving people tickets for smoking. We want the emphasis to be on education, awareness.”

The city that once had a big history in tobacco, is now hoping to see an end to it.

Council leaders are working on a proposal to pay for signs to raise awareness.

Jacobs says they’ll need several thousand to post throughout the county.